2 former Brewers pitchers who are off to surprisingly strong starts in 2026

Over the weekend at Reviewing the Brew, we explored how during the Milwaukee Brewers' stretch of several years of success, the front office has consistently shown a strong feel for roster construction, particularly when it comes to timing difficult decisions to move on from key contributors. That perspective was illustrated by highlighting three former Brewers who are off to slow starts with their new teams this season.

Of course, no organization gets every call right. Even the most calculated decisions come with some misses, which makes it just as important to acknowledge the other side of the equation, even when those you least expect to perform well do so. Here, we shift the focus to a few former Brewers pitchers from last year's squad who are off to surprisingly strong starts in 2026.

2 pitchers from the Brewers' 2025 team who are off to surprisingly strong starts elsewhere in 2026

1. RHP Aaron Civale

Entering the 2025 season, Aaron Civale was firmly locked into the Brewers’ starting rotation while preparing to pitch in a contract year. Unfortunately, he became one of several arms hit by an early-season injury, suffering a strained hamstring in his first start of the season during Opening Weekend in New York, which sidelined him until early May.

By the time he returned, Milwaukee had largely stabilized its injury-plagued pitching staff, and just four outings later, it was announced that he would shift to the bullpen. The move prompted him to request a trade, a rarity in Major League Baseball, as it marked the first time in his career he wouldn't be a starter and an unfavorable development with free agency looming.

That trade request ultimately proved significant, as it brought Andrew Vaughn over from the Chicago White Sox in the deal. Civale went on to make 13 starts for Chicago, posting a 5.37 ERA before being released at the end of August. He was then picked up by the Chicago Cubs, who, coincidentally, used him out of the bullpen for the remainder of the regular season and into the postseason.

This past offseason, Civale didn’t land the multi-year deal he was hoping for, instead settling for a one-year, $6 million prove-it contract with the Oakland Athletics. However, early on, he’s delivered solid results, posting a 3.86 ERA through his first five starts.

His first three outings were especially sharp, as he allowed just three total earned runs. While his last two appearances have been rougher, giving up eight earned runs combined and pushing his ERA upwards, the overall body of work still points to a strong first month of the season.

2. RHP Erick Fedde

What will undoubtedly go down as a disappointing 2025 season by Erick Fedde’s standards still included a strong stretch during his time with Milwaukee. The right-hander opened the year with the St. Louis Cardinals, where he struggled to a 5.22 ERA across his first 20 starts before being dealt. He later landed with the Atlanta Braves, but after just 23 innings and an 8.10 ERA, he was on the move again, this time to Milwaukee.

With the Brewers, Fedde quickly turned things around. Over his first five outings with the club, he allowed just two earned runs, providing immediate stability. Although his numbers ticked up as his workload increased late in September, while Milwaukee was trying to rest some of their key arms and align their pitching for the postseason, he still finished with a respectable 3.38 ERA across seven appearances, offering a much-needed boost down the stretch.

During the offseason, there was some speculation that Fedde could return to Milwaukee to see what a full season with the club might look like. Instead, he opted for a one-year, $1.5 million deal in early February with the Chicago White Sox -- a fitting full-circle moment, as they were the organization that originally brought him back to Major League Baseball following his standout success in the Korean Baseball Organization.

So far, the White Sox are reaping the benefits of having Fedde back, as the veteran has posted a 3.42 ERA through his first five outings. Only three of those appearances are officially recorded as starts due to the use of openers, but he’s still been effective, logging as many as 6.0 innings and no fewer than 4.2 in an outing. It’s an encouraging sign to see him carry over success after a challenging 2025 campaign.

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